"Where were you?" As soon as Han Ruochen arrived home, Han Ziyan came marching toward her. She had been working throughout the entire afternoon and only ate the cheapest meal available. It was all because she wanted to save as much money as possible. Now her stomach was rumbling as if she hadn’t eaten anything since she woke up, and yet Han Ruochen took her sweet time to return home.
What made her even angrier was that Tong Zhaodi was drunk. They clearly had a good time and did not care about the people at home who were waiting for them to cook!
Han Ruochen frowned and looked up at Han Ziyan. She sneered coldly and spat, "What does it matter to you? Where I was and where I went, why do you care about these things? Han Ziyan, just because I have not caused any trouble for you doesn’t mean that I have forgotten what you have done. It’s bad enough that you stole my fiancé, but you even caused our family to owe such a big debt. If I were you, I would watch how I speak!"
Han Ziyan was scolded bloody by Han Ruochen, and her face turned red. She glared at the woman, wanting to scratch her face, but she could not bring herself to say anything. She snorted and turned around to walk inside the house. Let Han Ruochen be happy for a while. Once their mom returned home, she would complain to her mother and tell her how Han Ruochen had been causing trouble for her.
"Why did you quarrel with her? Now she will definitely complain to Mom." Sighing heavily, Han Xuehan walked over with Han Beijiang in her arms. Usually, Han Beijiang would have made a fuss and asked Han Ruochen to take him into her arms, but when he saw that she was supporting someone, he stayed quietly in his eldest sister’s arms.
"Who quarrelled with her? She was the one who rushed to question me. It’s as if I owe her something; if she is hungry, then she can always buy some groceries and cook for the family, but instead she keeps her money hidden and waits for others to take care of her meals. She doesn’t show a good face to us, and yet she hopes that we will treat her with courtesy. I just cannot withstand her hypocrisy," snorted Han Ruochen.
Han Ruochen hated Han Ziyan, and it was good enough that she was holding back all of her grudges and not rushing to settle them one by one. But Han Ziyan was determined to dance in front of her. Just look at that tone and attitude; she spoke to her as if she expected Han Ruochen to bend over and listen to her like a little slave. How could Han Ruochen accept it?
Han Xuehan also heard the condescending tone that Han Ziyan used while talking with Han Ruochen and felt a bit uncomfortable. They were clearly the eldest siblings and had done their best to take care of Han Ziyan. They didn’t owe her anything, and yet the manner in which Han Ziyan spoke to them was really cold and heartbreaking. Even when she talked with her, that woman would always have something sarcastic to say.
She even ordered her to wash her laundry and said that since she was living at her house, Han Xuehan should do something fulfilling. Since when did the Han family house become Han Ziyan’s? An adopted daughter’s? And she, the biological daughter, was pushed to one side. What had the world become? Now would she have to listen to an adopted daughter’s command?
"What’s the matter?" As Han Ruochen took off her shoes and helped Tong Zhaodi onto the couch, she noticed that her sister’s face had turned a little bad. Seeing her like this, she knew that there was something amiss.
Han Xuehan sucked in a breath and shook her head before saying, "It’s nothing. Ziyan asked me to wash her clothes, and Mom’s as well. She said something along the lines that I was an abandoned woman and a burden to our parents. This is the least I can do." Han Xuehan did not want to complain to Han Ruochen, but these words had stuck in her heart since the evening, and she could not release the bad breath.
If not for Han Ziyan, would her life be like this? But instead of feeling sorry for her, Han Ziyan was rushing to mock her. She was really cruel.
When Han Ruochen heard Han Xuehan’s words, her eyes darkened. She knew that Han Ziyan was used to acting like a bully when she was not at home, but she never thought that Han Ziyan would be so bold that she would actually talk nonsense in front of her sister.
"You don’t have to listen to her. She, as an adopted daughter, can ask Mom to borrow twenty thousand yuan and find a job for herself even after doing something so shameless. Compared to her, you have every right to stay at your own home. The next time she makes things difficult for you, just remind her of her identity. Tell her that she is the one who owes our family and not the other way round." Han Ruochen was not going to pamper Han Ziyan. If she wanted to complain to their mother, then let her do it; anyway, they were being backed by their father. Let’s see who suffers in the end.
"But—"
"Sister, I know that you are a nice person, but sometimes being kind is not enough. You might be willing to treat Ziyan well, but it’s clear that she has no such intention. Courtesy is a two-way thing; if the other person is not treating you well, then you are just pressing your face on a cold bottom." Han Ruochen knew that her eldest sister had the temperament of a people pleaser and it would be hard for her to stand up for herself but she hoped Han Xuehan would change herself a little because she cannot always protect her.